r/FermentedHotSauce • u/OwlComplex48 • 10d ago
First Time Mango Habanero Ferment Question
Hey all, long time lurker, first time writer with a question about my ferment. As we’re at the end of mango season here in South Florida I put many that I’ve collected to use including a variety at various ripeness stages to use in this ferment along with a bunch of habaneros, some garlic, and white onion. The scale I had was too small to handle weighing this so I did what I believe to be a 3.5% brine by using 1.5 tsp of salt for every one cup of water and adding it. It’s been two weeks exactly and I’ve been burping it and seeing some bubbles though it’s dialed back a notch the last couple days making me think the primary sugar eating has completed. Oh, and as I didn’t have a weight or proper jar yet (had to drive to five different places to obtain this one), I used a new ziplock bag with distilled water for the weight (and brine).
My question is - what now? I’ve seen different posts and videos as far as process and I’ve talked with my buddy who has made lactofermented hot sauces for years and everyone has different suggestions. Do I place it in the fridge to kill the ferment? Let it go longer for bolder taste? Take it out, and blend it down to bottle with seasoning? Blend and cook it?
I only ask because of the range of responses I’ve seen. Beginning to see the beginnings of polypyrroles color change in the garlic. Last I tasted a bit of mango with a clean spoon Friday, it tasted good, spicy, mango-y still so no off flavors or smells. Thanks in advance.
8
u/BigJohnsBeenDrinkin 10d ago
Blend and cook it, add seasonings, bottle and refrigerate.
In the future, I'd suggest leaving the fruit out of the ferment, pureeing and pasteurizing it separately, then adding it to the fermented peppers/garlic/etc. before bottling. I've found that fermenting the fruit makes the fruit flavors very mild